Myths and Facts about ADHD

 

When we think of Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD), we often imagine a child who is bouncing off the walls, who is unable to sit still, who struggles to listen, and overall behaves poorly. While this is sometimes the situation, there are lots of common misconceptions about ADHD and those who experience it. Below will be listed the myths followed by the facts.

Myth: ADHD only occurs in those who are assigned male at birth.

Fact: ADHD was originally only studied in Cisgender, white, middle-class males. This means that people outside this demographic might struggle to receive an official diagnosis.

Myth: ADHD is just an excuse for people who are lazy.

Fact: ADHD is a diagnosis that involves complex changes to brain chemistry that affects a person’s ability to regulate effort. This means that people will often struggle with executive functioning. This is our basic ability to complete tasks in a timely and efficient manner.

Myth: ADHD means people cannot focus on a single task.

Fact: ADHD is complex. People with ADHD have been known to both struggle with focusing on basic tasks and hyper fixating on tasks that do not always serve a purpose. People with ADHD will sometimes be unable to comprehend the passing of time, meaning they might simultaneously think a task will take too long to complete and also think a complex, time consuming task will be completed in a matter of minutes.

Myth: ADHD can be disciplined out of a child.

Fact: Most people with ADHD will struggle with relationships and discipline because they lack memory or impulse control. Those with ADHD do not always have what I refer to as the “delay” in thinking. People with ADHD might see a hot stove and impulsively touch it, while those without ADHD can have a split second to think, “if I touch that, it will hurt,” those with ADHD just act without that second delay. Working memory is also a part of the brain that does not develop the same for those with ADHD. They might not purposely ignore rules they have been told, they might just forget those rules exist.

Myth: Everyone’s a “little ADHD.”

Fact: This just isn’t how diagnoses in the world work. ADHD is a neurological and chemical change in the brain. Not everyone has that and not everyone meets criteria for the diagnosis. People can experience some symptoms of a diagnosis without meeting full criteria.

If you struggle with symptoms of ADHD, I highly recommend exploring those symptoms with a mental health provider at BHC or wherever you receive assistance. Do not feel discouraged if you do not receive a full diagnosis, there are still spaces for you to learn to better your life however you need!

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Location: Wisconsin, USA

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